4 foods to avoid giving your pet this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and so is your pet – as they are looking at all the food you are preparing for your annual celebration.

With that in mind, Trupanion, the leader in medical insurance for pets, is reminding pet owners that not only can some thanksgiving foods be toxic to your pet, table scraps and extra treats can add up quickly.

In fact, just a 5 oz serving of dark meat turkey for your small dog can be the caloric equivalent of an entire 8-inch pumpkin pie for you! And, data from Trupanion reveals that pet owners with overweight pets can spend as much as five times more in veterinary expenses than pet owners with average-sized pets.

Here are 4 foods to watch out for this upcoming holiday season as your pet positions themselves under your dining room table.

1) Turkey

A small amount of lean, light meat is okay but make sure to keep the skin, fat, and any dark meat far from your furry friend. Most importantly, make sure that your dog does not get a hold of any cooked bones as they can cause choking or be ingested and damage to your pet’s digestive system.

2) Stuffing

Stuffing often contains onions, chives, garlic, and/or scallions. Those ingredients are toxic to pets so make sure to keep your furry friend far away from the stuffing! Plus, with the added butter, stuffing is likely a fatty treat that your pet does not need.

3) Mashed Potatoes

Bland mashed potatoes are okay. But as with stuffing, any mashed potatoes prepared with garlic, onions, scallions, or chives should definitely be kept away from pets as these foods are toxic to dogs and cats.

4) Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie and Pecan Pie!

It’s best not to purposely feed pie to your four-legged friend. Instead consider one of the many dog-friendly versions that gives your pup a taste of pumpkin pie without all of the sugary sweetness.

Don’t let your Thanksgiving celebration go to the dogs!

Foods and ingredients that are potentially toxic for dogs and cats this Thanksgiving holiday

Butter and other fats

Garlic, Chives, Onions, Scallions

Raisins, Currents, Grapes

Candied sweet potatoes or yams